Lamps hates 'golden' tag

He admits the England squad are embarrassed by the tag which was placed on their shoulders by former FA chief executive Adam Crozier, who labelled the likes of David Beckham, Rio Ferdinand, Steven Gerrard, Lampard and Michael Owen as the ‘Golden Generation’.

But up until now it has just backfired on the squad as they have crashed out in the quarter-finals of the last two World Cups and Euro 2004, and failed to even reach Euro 2008.

With Fabio Capello’s team qualifying for next summer’s World Cup with two games to spare, expectations are high again.

But Lampard (left) said: “The whole ‘Golden Generation’ thing is quite frustrating for us players. We didn’t make up the term.

“I don’t know where it did get made – probably sitting round a table. The reason people talk about the ‘Golden Generation’ is that we have a good crop of players. They are very talented individuals but we have not made the most of it.

“We have all held our hands up to that many times. By calling us that it was almost as if people were waiting for us to fail. The ‘Golden Generation’ should only be said once you have won something. Then you can be called the ‘Golden Generation’. “It is difficult. We just went out and played but it kept getting mentioned. It’s unfortunate really.

“Look at 1966 when England won the World Cup. That was a ‘Golden Generation’. So it was said much too early about us if it was Adam Crozier who said it and people picked up on it.

“We haven’t followed through. Once we have finished and hopefully won something then we can talk about generations but now is a great chance.

“This is not me saying, ‘Yes, we are going to win the World Cup’ but we are in better shape than we have been. The team is working better as a unit.

“We have good individuals, we are experienced, we have World Cups behind us. It is up to us to take all those plus points and use them next summer.’’